The Belgium international, who netted 19 times in the league last season, has failed to score from the spot twice already; the first in the opening-day win over Arsenal and then again in last month's defeat to Everton.

Benteke made up for his miss against the Gunners by heading in the rebound from Wojciech Szczesny's save, but his failure to convert against Everton could have opened up the scoring.

“As much as he is fantastic and the talisman in that team at the moment, if he is missing the opportunity you need to reassess.”

Dwight Yorke

The former Villa number 10, who was speaking at the World Travel Market in London where he is an ambassador for Trinidad and Tobago, said: "If you missed two penalties and it has cost your team - at Villa in particular because their results have not been great of late - if you're a manager I would try to get somebody else on it.

"As much as he is fantastic and the talisman in that team at the moment, if he is missing the opportunity you need to reassess.

"He should keep practising but as a manager you always need to have (a second penalty taker). Where there's a plan A there should be a plan B - Paul Lambert doesn't need me to tell him that.

Yorke scored 73 league goals for Villa [GETTY]

"It's easy for me to sit here and say this person or that person should take penalties. But only the manager can stare their players in the eyes and see if they are ready to take penalties."

The 22-year-old Belgian has taken over from former penalty takers Darren Bent, Barry Bannan and Gareth Barry after their departures from Villa Park.

Yorke, who was a regular penalty taker for Villa before his move to Manchester United in 1998, said: "Penalties are all about confidence. As a striker you ought to be taking them.

"You have to give goalkeepers credit sometimes.

Benteke has only scored four league goals this term due to injury [GETTY]

"But it is about confidence - if you're scoring week-in, week-out and you can convert them with your eyes closed... when things are not going for you then obviously there is a downturn in confidence.

"You want to do the right thing and when you miss your confidence goes further.

"That's the nature of the game.

"If you miss, you want to get up and take that next one. The only way you will do that is by practising."